What is the best alternative to Steelseries Rival?
Here’s the Deal
Slant is powered by a community that helps you make informed decisions. Tell us what you’re passionate about to get your personalized feed and help others.
Pro Great for palm grip
The Logitech G400 gaming mouse was clearly designed specifically for palm grip.
Pro Comfortable side button placement
The two side buttons are located in an easy to reach, unobtrusive position.
Pro Thumb-rest
There is a built in ergonomic thumb rest so users can rest there thumb instead of constantly gripping.
Con Scroll wheel is shallow and loose
Like the versions before it, the scroll wheel feels shallow and loose.
Con Lift off distance too high
The lift off distance is too high for this device but it can be fixed by using the tape trick.
Con Superseded by Logitech G400s
This unit is no longer in production though some units can still be found on Amazon and Ebay.
Pro Amazing shape
This mouse is great for every grip style. The right side lets you palm or fingertip grip the mouse regardless of your hand size.
Pro Full Linux support
Roccat releases official drivers for Linux for most (if not all) of their products and the Kone Pure Optical is not an exception.
Pro No angle snapping or pointer prediction
With the Avago ADNS-3090 optical sensor being used there is no angle snapping or pointer prediction to be found.
Con Not an ideal mouse for large hands
The Kone Pure Optical is quite a rather small mouse, suitable for people with small and medium-sized hands. Someone with larger-than-average hands will most likely be very uncomfortable using this mouse.
Con High lift off distance
The Roccat Kone Pure Optical has a higher than average lift off distance of 3mm, though it can be lowered in software (Advanced Settings tab) or with the tape trick.
Pro Customizable, profile-based LED colors
Even the LEDs on the mouse are color customizable, so you can set a different color for different profiles.
Pro Dual-mode scroll wheel
There are also two scrolling settings - notched and smooth.
Pro Onboard memory for saving profiles
Logitech G9x allows saving up to 5 profiles on it's onboard memory.
Con DPI manual switching button placement is poor
The placement of the manual DPI "on the fly" button could cause users to accidently swithc when actually trying to use the left mouse button.
Con No longer in production
Discontinued and there is no direct replacement.
Pro A lightweight braided cable
Roccat Savu has a lighter than usual braided cable that helps prevent kinking, curling and protects the cable prolonging life of mouse.
Pro Accurate 4000 CPI optical sensor
The mouse has an accurate 4000 CPI optical sensor. No angle snapping, no acceleration, no prediction.
Pro Great grip provides good control over the mouse
A high quality rubberized grip on top and a sweat-proof grip material on the sides provides good control over the mouse.
Con Reports of non-slip grip wearing off within a year
The soft touch coating does not last and will wear easily.
Pro Comfortable to use
Its rather small size and lower than usual height allow for a substantially comfortable grip. The sides have a dent which helps fingers positioning. Additionally, the sides are smoothly textured so you shouldn’t ever feel like your hand is losing its grip.
Pro Well suited for fingertip and claw grips
Unless you have small hands, this is a mouse that is meant for people who use either the claw or fingertip grip. In addition to being a small mouse and having low height, it's also extremely light, weighing only 68 grams. This makes it easy to control with a fingertip and claw grip as it relies...
Pro Well built
Even though it’s a budget mouse, it has high quality components to ensure that the mouse can last for years. There are no unnecessary moving parts while button clicks are clear and don’t give out after heavy use. The body of the mouse consists of rubberized coating at the top and textured plastic...
Con Lacks sidebuttons
Since it’s in the style of a classic three-button mouse, the lack of side buttons limits customization options.
Con Small size takes some getting used to
The Roccat Lua is a small mouse, measuring only 11.5 cm in length and 3 cm in height. The width is pretty standard with 6.5 cm at the back and narrows down towards the front. The small size might raise some concern about the grip. If it’s your first mouse of this size you might need to adjust your...
Con Top DPI value may feel insufficient for some gamers
The DPI amount caps at 2000, which might not be enough for some.
Pro Good tracking
It is accurate and responsive.
Pro Cheap
With tracking and comfort offered this prices is amazingly cheap at $15.
Pro Comfortable gaming mouse for palm and claw grips
While being mainly designed for palm grips using a claw grip will still work, though with a weird placing for the palm.
Pro Left- and right-click buttons have a concave that helps fingers stay in place
The users fingers rest easily inside of the concave left and right buttons. By being concaved the users fingers also stay in place.
Pro Accurate 6400 CPI optical sensor
The mouse has a 6400 CPI optical sensor with X & Y variable axis. No angle snapping, no acceleration, no prediction.
Con Requires signing in and connecting to a server before the mouse can be used to its full potential
To get the latest drivers or edit settings you have to download "synapse" an "online cloud device updater and profile storage" application. You have to register an account with your email and have it running in the background constantly for changes to take effect.
Con Driver for side buttons in not open source
The mouse has two button for thumb control. The driver for the mouse and is not open source and not available for Linux users.
Con Distracting lights, wich can be turned of this can be done trough the Synapse software
Although the lights on the mouse look nice, they may bother or be distracting to some people. If they are too distracting, they can be turned off but that does require proprietary software that many do not like having installed.
Pro Great for palm and claw grips
Users who prefer palm or claw grips will have no problems using this mouse.
Pro Driver software allows adjusting sensitivity, accent illumination and reprogram buttons
The driver software dashboard allows for numerous customizations such as illumination changes and programmable buttons.
Pro Great gaming mouse buttons
Tactile and light without being easy to press by resting your hand on the gaming mouse.
Con Far side buttons can be pressed accidentally at first
The side buttons on the far side (i.e. right if you're right-handed) can easily be pressed when the user simply tries to grip the mouse. This can be mitigated with practice.
Con Slight inconsistent positive acceleration at all tracking speeds
Is lessened on hard pads, Steelseries recommends a 4hd/9hd as the mouse was made and tested on it. Most people don't realize the acceleration until told about it and there are numerous professional cs go, Lol, dota, and starcraft players who have no problem with or don't notice the acceler...
Pro Very light
At 72 grams the Steelseries Kana is a very lightweight device.
Pro Good value for money
At $49.99 the Steelseries Kana is a great price for what it offers such as an optical sensor and 1000Hz polling.

Con Slightly uncomfortable for palms and fingers
Compared to Razer Deathadder, this isn't comfortable at all.
Pro Highly customizable
The G502 gaming mouse has 11 programmable buttons, support for macros and profiles, adjustable weight and center of balance, two scroll wheel modes, and a plethora of settings to customize. In addition to the standard left, right, and scroll wheel buttons, there's a button below the scroll wh...
Pro Amazing 12000 CPI optical sensor
The Logitech G502 Proteus Core gaming mouse has an impressively accurate 12000 CPI optical sensor that's capable of tracking speeds up to 7.5 m/s. There is no acceleration, angle snapping, prediction or jitter even at max CPI.
Pro Allows you to switch between notched and smooth scroll wheel modes
The scroll wheel can act as a smooth unhindered scroll or a notched scroll depending on how the user wants to use it.
Con Scroll wheel wobbles in free-scroll mode
The free scroll setting has a bit of a wobble in the wheel.
Con Too heavy for competitive FPS
Most competitive FPS gaming mice aim to weigh under 100 grams. The G502 weighs 121 grams, which can be further increased to 139 grams with extra weights. The increased weight makes it more difficult to move quickly. It also means your hand will get tired quicker.
Con Software is Windows-only
LGS (Logitech Gaming Software) does not have Linux or macOS support, so the mouse cannot be tuned or configured under those operating systems. However, if the mouse is configured on a different OS, the configuration will work on Linux and macOS, since the profiles are stored on the mouse itself.

Pro Good design, good software
Very comfortable, good weight and easy-to-program options (button functions, colors, etc).
Pro Has wireless and wired options
The Razer Mamba is a wireless mouse that is also able to be wired by simply plugging in the provided USB cable.

Con Battery life is very limited
Battery charge dies very quickly.
Pro Somewhat ergonomic
The X5 has a decent resting area for the ring finger to rest as well as the thumb and pinkie finger.
Pro Ambidextrous
Don't fret lefties!
Pro Inexpensive
Good value!
Con Scroll wheel
Although it features nice, defined scroll steps, the rubber coating on the X5's scroll wheel is quite unexceptional to say the least.

Pro Excellent sensor
The G303, along with the Logitech G502 and G900 and the Corsair M65 PRO RGB, has the single best sensor on the market, the Pixart PMW3366. This sensor has no acceleration or angle snapping that can't be disabled and has a native DPI of 12,000.
Pro Comfortable
Logitech G303 is very comfortable if you have medium to small hands, and if you are using your mouse with claw or fingertip grip.

Pro Accessible price
The G303 gaming mouse has an MSRP of $49.99, but it goes on sale rather frequently for as low as $24.99. Compared to high-end gaming mice like the Rival 700 and the G502, that's quite a steal.
Con Build quality not the best
Scrolling wheel sometimes makes cranking noises while you are scrolling through it. If you tighten the mouse from the sides, the cheap plastic will make a noise.
Con A minimum selection of buttons
The Logitech G303 only has one controllable button on the top, two buttons on the side and a programmable mousewheel. The mouse offers six different buttons if you include left- and right-click.
Pro Sniper button
The included sniper button will instantly decrease the mouses sensitivity while pressed in, giving the player an advantage accurately placing the cursor where it needs to be such as in headshots in an FPS.
Pro Aluminum housing
The M60 features a solid aluminum body at its core for a superior build quality.
Pro 8 programmable buttons
There are 8 fully programmable buttons on the mouse. This includes a 'sniper button' next to the thumb, which by default toggles a shifted DPI to allow for more accurate sniping while gaming.
Con Braided cable
The braided cable is stiff and may catch on the mouse pad on a regular basis.
Con Too light
The 3 weights and aluminum frame are just not heavy enough. If they were to add a weighted sled for more weight instead of 3 plugs, they could make it comfortable for a wider range of people. Satisfying both users who like light or heavy mice.
Con Finnish rubs off
The rubberized texture comes off the thumb rest and ring finger side around 2 months in. The slick plastic underneath is not a sure grip when moving around in game. Considering this is a gaming class mouse you would think they would use a textured finished material not a coating.
Pro Great tracking
Although only a 400 DPI mouse, it tracks accurately without acceleration, angle snapping or prediction.
Pro Wired or Wireless
The G700s can switch between wireless mode and wired mode.
Pro Many buttons
The G700s has 13 fully re-programmable buttons.
Pro Comfortable for palm or claw grip
The Logitech G700S is a very comfortable mouse that works great with palm and claw grip use.
Con Battery life
The battery lasts about a day, depending on what sensor settings you use. This is somewhat mitigated by the ability to just plug in the cable and keep going, though.
Con Large base
The G700s's bottom is exceptionally large, and dirt/grime often gets stuck on the bottom and causes tracking issues.
Pro Highly accurate
The Steelseries Rival gaming mouse has a built in Pixart PMW3310 optical sensor that offers great tracking control. There's no angle-snapping, hardware acceleration, or jitter.
Pro Great accompanying software suite
Steelseries uses a software suite called Engine 3 that is low resource and used to customize their gaming mouse options.
Pro Great value for money
At $39 the Rival gaming mouse has a great balance between build quality and value for money.
Con Rubber grips get slippery with sweaty hands
When using the mouse for long duration's the sweat from the users hands can make the rubber side grips slippery.
Pro Flawless movement, essential for gaming
The EC1-A delivers accurate mouse cursor movement that is essential to any gaming mouse. Virtually flawless, it has none of the precision-altering flaws that are apparent in other mice.

Pro Ergonomic, accommodating shape, especially for those with big hands
Though it may look tame, the mouse’s shape is quite ergonomic. Its subtle curves help your fingers position themselves while also allowing various grip types. For the same reason, the bulge of the mouse is located strictly in the middle, making it accommodating for the most amount of people, and ev...
Pro Coating ensures a good grip
The mouse has a smooth plastic coating that doesn’t feel slippery. You can easily hold the mouse with a comfortable grip even without the rubber sides.
Con Side buttons don't register easily
The side buttons require you to press deeply before it registers an action.
Con DPI switch can't be accessed during use
The DPI switch is a button that can’t be accessed while in use because it's located under the mouse.
Con Customization options are limited due to the lack of companion software
There is no companion software to this mouse, which means you cannot do thorough customizations, such as button remapping or custom lighting.
Pro Customizable weight
There are four 5g weights included with the device that users can place inside to customize the exact weight they want the mouse to be.
Pro Lighting control
There is lighting control for this device though its included software.
Pro Built in memory
There is built in memory on this device that will allow users to store up to 6 different custom profiles. this way no software is needed when the device is used in a different PC.
Con Sharp side buttons can irritate fingers
The sharp side buttons can irritate fingers and cause distractions while playing.
Pro Gets all the little nuances that make a mouse comfortable to use just right
The left and right mouse buttons have small grooves to help fingers rest in place. The left side lets the thumb grip the mouse comfortably. The side buttons are in an easily accessible, yet unobtrusive position. The coating is slightly textured to help you control the mouse confidently. The 2 ver...
Pro Well built
The Zowie EC is made of high quality plastic that's lightly coated to help with grip. The buttons click easily and the rubber cable is thin and flexible. All of this combined gives a feeling of quality, while also being functional as a high-end mouse.
Pro Excellent accuracy
The Zowie EC delivers accurate mouse cursor movement that is essential to any gaming mouse. The Avago 3310 sensor used by this mouse is exceptional. It delivers a true portrayal of mouse movement with no jitter, acceleration or prediction. The available DPI choices of 400/800/1600/3200 are all nati...
Con Extra travel on side buttons
Side buttons have a bit of pre-travel. You have to press in about 1mm more than usual for the mouse to register the side button clicks. Some may find this annoying, but it helps avoid accidentally clicking side buttons in-game.
Con Limited customizability
None of the buttons can be rebound, there are no macros, profiles, or customizable weights. And while the Zowie EC allows you to customize the most important performance settings - CPI, lift-off distance, and USB polling rate - their customization is limited to preset intervals.
Con DPI switch can't be accessed during use
The DPI switch is a button that can’t be accessed while in use because it's located under the mouse.
Help millions of people make better decisions.
Each month, over 1.7 million people use Slant to find the best products and share their knowledge. Pick the tags you’re passionate about to get a personalized feed and begin contributing your knowledge.